Biocultural Perspectives on Water Insecurity (357-0-1)
Instructors
Sera Lewise Young
847/467-2174
1819 Hinman Avenue
The focus of Dr. Young’s work is on the reduction maternal and child undernutrition in low-resource settings, especially sub-Saharan Africa. Methodologically, she draws on her training in medical anthropology (MA, University of Amsterdam), international nutrition (PhD, Cornell) and HIV (Fellowship, University of California San Francisco) to take a biocultural approach to understanding how mothers in low-resource settings cope to preserve their health and that of their families.
Meeting Info
Parkes Hall 212: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
The first objective of this course is to introduce students to the many ways that water impacts humans around the world. We will discuss what the international recommendations for safely managed water are and the health and social consequences of water insecurity. The second objective is to explore why there is such variety in water insecurity worldwide. Influences on access to water will be broadly considered; we will draw on literature in global health, ethnography, the life sciences, and public policy. These discussions will be guided by the socio-ecological framework, in which dimensions ranging from the individual to the geopolitical are considered. The third objective is to develop critical thinking and writing abilities to reflect on the multi-dimensional causes and consequences of water insecurity and the appropriateness of potential solutions. This will be accomplished through readings and documentaries that we have lovingly selected, writing weekly reflection pieces, preparing a short in-class presentation on recent media, and writing an OpEd.
Registration Requirements
First-year students should seek permission from instructor.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, you should be able to… 1. Understand and articulately discuss the social and health impacts of water security. 2. Identify and critically analyze key actors, institutions, and policies that influence water security. 3. Recognize, critically assess, and communicate the value of qualitative and quantitative data for understanding causes and consequences of water security. 4. Evaluate metrics and interventions related to water insecurity from anthropological and public health perspectives.
Class Materials (Required)
Drinking Water: A history, by James Salzman (ISBN-13 9781468314908) & articles on canvas
Class Notes
Our classes will be oriented around the socio-ecological conceptual framework(s). We will begin with an overview of water insecurity and historical perspectives, introduce the socio-ecological framework, and then move from proximal to distal determinants of water insecurity. We will also focus on the multiple determinants and causes of water insecurity through a combination of on-line lectures, media presentations, and assignments.
Class Attributes
Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
Social & Behavioral Sciences Distro Area